Sports year in review

By Doug DeDeckerSports Writer - St. James PlaindealerTwitter: @SportsDougEmail: stjames.sports@mchsi.com

St. James Plaindealer - St. James, MN

By Doug DeDeckerSports Writer - St. James PlaindealerTwitter: @SportsDougEmail: stjames.sports@mchsi.com

Posted Dec. 31, 2012 at 8:00 AM

By Doug DeDeckerSports Writer - St. James PlaindealerTwitter: @SportsDougEmail: stjames.sports@mchsi.com

Posted Dec. 31, 2012 at 8:00 AM

St. James Plaindealer

Wrestlers steamroll New Ulm give Hildebrandt his 450th win

Before a large and boisterous home crowd, the St. James wrestlers rolled over the New Ulm Eagles 67 to 7 on Tuesday night.

In doing so, the grapplers gave Coach Gene Hildebrandt his 450th career coaching win as the Saints head wrestling coach. (Jan. 9)

Saints lose a tough one to Luverne 62-60

The Saints played a great game against a good 12-5 Luverne team on Saturday night, but couldn’t come away with the win falling in the final seconds of the game by a final score of 62-60. (Feb. 2)

Gymnasts lose to BEA and Luverne

The Saints gymnastic team and fans paid homage to the team’s seniors on the final home meet of the year when the Saints hosted Luverne on Tuesday night.

Seniors Breonna Ommodt, Karen Gonzalez, Megan Lindquist, and Stephany Garza were recognized for their contributions to St. James gymnastics. (Feb. 2)

Wrestlers win three more meets

Senior Giovanni Alvarado joined an elite group of St. James wrestles on Saturday when he picked up his 100 career win for the Saints. (Feb. 2)

Bowers signs D-1 letter of intent

St. James High School senior Cheyanne Bowers has signed a national letter of intent to run cross country for the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits. (Feb. 9)

Jackson CC 87, Saints 75 in OT

Trailing by 14 points with a little over 13 minutes in the game, the Saints staged a furious comeback to tie the score as time expired in regulation on a dramatic 3 point shot by Colby Rogers.

However, the Saints could not extend that energy level in overtime, and fell to visiting Jackson County Central 87-75 on Saturday night.

Saints wrestlers are conference champions

In an all Saints showdown, and with the conference championship up for grabs, St. James out wrestled a good St. Peter team last Thursday night 49 to 24. (Feb. 9)

A razor thin loss means the Saints wrestlers just miss advancing to state

The road to the state team wrestling championship ended for the Saints at Lake Crystal in the darkening gloom late Saturday afternoon when the Saints fell to LCWM 30-27.

It was a painfully tough loss. The pain the wrestlers felt was emotional not physical. With the toughest, closest losses come the bitterest of emotions, and the loss Saturday had a bucket full of bitterness with it.

Page 2 of 3 - Saints send six wrestlers to the Minnesota State Championships

Six Saints wrestlers are going to the Minnesota Individual State Wrestling Tournament in St. Paul this weekend having wrestled their way to either champion or second place finishes at the Section 4A Individual held in St. James last Friday and Saturday.

The Saints had two champions. Cody Hanson at 103lbs and Richy Soto at 120lbs won their respective weight classes.

Second place finishers were Isaac Carreon at 126lbs, Giovanni Alvarado at 145lbs, Esteban Zelaya at 170lbs, and Devin Wolle at 195 lbs.

Saints beat Redwood Valley 6-5

The Saints baseball team jumped out to a 6-0 lead against the visiting Redwood Valley Cardinals, and then hung on to beat the visitors 6-5.

Interesting stat lines for the game. The Saints had six runs on two hits. (April 12)

Saints lose a tough one to Fairmont

Sam Carlson pitched a great game against the 4th ranked Fairmont Cardinals last Thursday. Unfortunately he lost in the bottom of the seventh when an infield hit pushed across the winning run for Fairmont. (April 19)

Tennis team bashes Buccaneers 7-0

The St. James boys tennis team traveled to Blue Earth last Thursday and bashed the BEA Buccaneers 7-0 with all of the singles and doubles matches being won in straight sets. (April 19)

Saints host six team track meet, girls win, boys third

The Saints girls track team dominated five other teams in racking up 206 team points in winning a six team meet at the St. James Track on Tuesday night. Sleepy Eye was a distant second with 111 points. (May 3)

Softball team beats Redwood Valley

The Saints softball team played one of their best games of the spring Tuesday, Arp 24 when they went on the road and beat the undefeated Red Valley Cardinals by a score of 3-2. (May 3)

Ben Reckow advances in state golf tourney

Playing his best golf of the year, Ben Reckow shot to play another day for the Saints. In the opening round of the state golf tournament Reckow tied for first shooting an 81. (May 31)

Boys 4x800 relay team advances to State

The Saints 4x800 meter relay team of Carlos Marquez, Zuriel Chacon, Johnathan Surber and Isaac Carreon is going to the State Championship meet thanks to their strong performance at the Section in Mankato on Saturday. (June 7)

Legion wins 4 in 4 days

Page 3 of 3 - American Legion Post 33 boys baseball team swept through an eight team Sub-district American Legion Tournament held this past Thursday through Sunday in St. James. Post 33 won four games in four days to advance to the District Championship which will be held at Truman this weekend. (July 19)

Saints lose close game in overtime

The SJA Saints football team took a long road trip to the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities last Friday and lost for the second time this season when Columbia Heights beat the Saints 14-8 in overtime. (Sept. 12)

Saints vollyeball wins on the road

The SJA volleyball team traveled up to New Ulm last Thursday and in a gym that according to Head Coach Steve Chapin, “Is a very tough place to play,” beat the Eagles three games to one. (Sept. 27)

Saints 7-0 over Fairmont and Saints 7-0 over Luverne

It’s onto the girl’s state tennis tournament championship for the SJA Saints girls tennis team after the Saints first blanked Fairmont 7-0 and then blanked Luverne by the same score in the Section 3A Final. (Oct. 11)

Boys first, girls second at Bucs Invite

The SJA varsity boys won and the varsity girls cross country teams came in second at the Bucs Invitational held at Blue Earth last week. (Oct. 25)

Saints stomp Madelia 95-50 in season opener

Behind 20+ point efforts of juniors Walker Froehling and Zach Brants, the Saints pummeled county rival Madelia 95-50 Tuesday night at the St. James High School Gym. (Dec.6)

SJA Saints 57, New Ulm Eagles 55

With a combination of senior steadiness and underclassmen bravado, the Saints girls basketball team won it’s first game last Thursday night when they edged the New Ulm Eagles 57-55. (Dec. 20)

By Doug DeDeckerSports Writer - St. James PlaindealerTwitter: @SportsDougEmail: stjames.sports@mchsi.com

St. James Plaindealer - St. James, MN

By Doug DeDeckerSports Writer - St. James PlaindealerTwitter: @SportsDougEmail: stjames.sports@mchsi.com